o the uninformed viewer it has a touch of the straitjacket about it, but according to its makers this “smart crib” is based on...

o the uninformed viewer it has a touch of the straitjacket about it, but according to its makers this “smart crib” is based on sound paediatric advice. Called a Snoo, the cot is a collaboration between Yves Behar, the designer of Jawbone, a wristband that tracks movement and sleep, and Dr Harvey Karp, an LA paediatrician and the author of The Happiest Baby on the Block.

Karp argues that human babies are born less developed than other mammals and the first three months of life are, in effect, a “fourth trimester”. It follows that his method for promoting a restful baby is to recreate a womblike experience. He recommends employing “the five Ss” to soothe a crying infant: swaddling, side/stomach positioning, shushing, swinging and sucking. His methods are controversial: critics claim there is no evidence for his concept of a “calming reflex”, but this hasn’t stopped the paediatrician earning celebrity endorsements from, among others, Michelle Pfeiffer and Madonna.

Behar’s fuseproject design studio worked with Karp for five years to develop a cot to soothe crying babies, and the result is, according to Behar, the “world’s safest bed”.

The crib has three microphones to detect if the baby is crying, and underneath the mattress are movement sensors, speakers and a motor. These devices combine to detect noise and movement, and then trigger white noise and/or a gentle rocking movement until the baby drifts back to sleep. The Snoo sack contains a built-in sensor to monitor the baby’s temperature and is designed to mimic the “snug embrace” of the womb, while allowing sufficient soothing movement. The onesie is, of course, removable for washing.

The mattress is fitted with sensors to detect a baby’s crying – it responds with a gentle rocking motion. Photograph: Happiest Baby

Naturally, no smart cot would be complete without its own app. Parents can monitor their child’s sleep using the Snoo app and fuseproject promises that future updates will allow parents to track their baby’s sleep habits over time for signs of progression or irregularities. The aim is not only to improve the infant’s sleep but that of its parents.

As Behar says, “As a father of four children, I am intimately familiar with sleep deprivation. It is more than a burden – it can quickly become a health problem for both parents and the baby.”

Henry Okafor

I personally feel that the safest place for baby to sleep is with mom in bed. There’s something about it. I’m a mom of 4 and I believe I make my children feel safer around me because I allowed them to sleep with me as an infant.

I wish they had these for my toddler! He is a wild sleeper but I still have not managed to place him in his own room because I don’t feel safe. This would be amazing if it came in a larger size for older babies!

My son won’t go to sleep in his bed ? He can’t sleep unless he’s under me or against my chest. My mom says I should break that habit and get him to sleep in his bed so when he gets older he wouldn’t be scared to sleep in his own room.

My daughter loves her bed and it stays next to my bed anyway so why switch up for one that’s just mobile. Yaah it’s easier and convient but I don’t mind a lil work to take care of my baby. Plus machines break down all the time, who knows how long it’ll truly last